Robotics Academy Blog  

Hello all! The information for the 2010 May Madness competition held at the Sarah Heinz House has been released. See this link for more information:

May Madness 2010

Are you part of a team that competes in VEX Robotics Competitions? If so, we’ve just released updated support documents that will help guarantee your success when you get to the field:

• Firmware Inspection using ROBOTC
• Firmware Inspection using the IFI Loader
• Testing Robots using the 75 MHz Crystals
• Testing Robots using the VEXnet Upgrade
• Using the ROBOTC Competition Templates
• Complete ROBOTC Software Inspection Guide (11 MB)

If you’re not part of the VEX Robotics Competitions, get involved! You can find out more information through the CMU Robotics Academy and VEX Robotics.

As always, you can also find support on the ROBOTC.net support pages and forums, too.

Educators…
The Robotics Education Store now has a new look. You can find it here:

Robomatter Education Store

The goal was to make the shopping experience easier, and we believe we
have achieved that with our new online store. Please take some time to
shop around and see some of the new products we have. We’re also selling HEXBUG toys too!

Buy 1 Bluetooth dongle get 4  free with the purchase of TETRIX curriculum…

A $79.96 value!*
Use the link below to purchase:

4 for 1 Bluetooth Dongle Special with the TETRIX Curriculum

*Offer valid only through the Robomatter Store, not valid with any other vendor.

ROBOTC Users…
The CMU Robotics Academy is happy to announce the availability of ROBOTC 2.01 for IFI VEX . The new ROBOTC 2.01 for VEX brings many new improvements to ROBOTC for the Innovation First VEX controller. The new interface brings a new modern feel to the ROBOTC programming language and gives users the power to customize their interface to have all the tools they use the most directly at their fingertips. This update is free to all users who have existing ROBOTC 1.x licenses.

To download, visit the VEX Download Page at the new ROBOTC.net. If you have any questions or have problems upgrading, feel free to contact us via e-mail at support@robotc.net.

The 2010 Training deadlines will be coming up very soon. Don’t forget to sign up before the registration deadlines so you can make it in the class.

Sign up to On-Site Teacher Training

All training is conducted at the National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC) in Pittsburgh, PA. The NREC is part of the Carnegie Mellon University Robotics Institute, a world-renowned robotics organization, where you’ll be surrounded by real-world robot research and commercialization. You also can take advantage of Pittsburgh’s attractions, from world-class museums and entertainment, to shopping, excursions, sports, and more.

Robotics Academy VEX Teacher Training classes are web-based. Learn to program in ROBOTC using Innovation First VEX robot hardware. This video provides a quick overview.

These courses focus on learning how to program VEX-based robots, and how to use robotics as an organizer to teach STEM (Science, Engineering, Technology, and Mathematics) concepts. Included with the course is the Robotics Academy’s Teaching ROBOTC for IFI VEX CD-Rom, along with a license to use it in your classroom afterward.

You will also have the opportunity to earn professional development credits and a Certificate of Completion by completing various assignments throughout the course.

For current class listings, click here.

In Part 2, we’re going to take a look at what an FLL team gets out of the experience. Every student goes home with a medal for participation, and some earn trophies as well. But what do students really take home with them in terms of learning and experience? Read the rest of this entry »

VEXnet is an 802.11 WiFi replacement for the crystal-based communication system between the VEX Microcontroller and Radio Control Transmitter. The VEXnet Upgrade enables users to convert existing Microcontrollers and Transmitters to the VEXnet communication system.

Additional VEXnet features include:

• Easy to connect (No IP addresses, MAC addresses, or passwords)
• Multiple layers of security built-in and always on
• No wireless access point needed; each VEXnet pair makes its own private network
• Hundreds of robots can operate at once; every VEXnet robot has a hidden unique ID
• Optional tether for wired communication
• Two user selectable channels and one private channel for competitions
• Optional 9V battery backup to maintain wireless link during a main 7.2V power loss
• LED scheme displays the status of the Robot, VEXnet link, and Game (Competition Mode)

For help getting your VEXnet Upgrades up and running, follow these steps:

1. Download and Install ROBOTC for IFI (1.98.4 or higher)
2. Install the Prolific USB-to-Serial Cable Driver (Print)
3. Download the Master Firmware to the VEX (Print)
4. Download the ROBOTC User Firmware to the VEX (Print)
5. Install and Link the VEXnet Upgrades (Print)

You can purchase the VEXnet Upgrade Bundle here:  http://store.robomatter.com/veupbu.html

ITEA’s flagship publication, The Technology Teacher, has published an article on designing technology lessons that teach mathematics. Written in collaboration with our partners Eli Silk and Dr. Christian Schunn at the University of Pittsburgh’s Learning Research and Development Center, the article Designing Technology Activities that Teach Mathematics is an insightful look into some of the strategies that help to bring out mathematical value when setting up a robotics problem.

In the article, the authors lay out four principles for producing a technology activity that leads to math learning. The paper also gives several examples of these principles in the redesign of the Robot Algebra Robot Synchronized Dance activity.

Designing Technology Activities that Teach Mathematics can be found featured on the cover of the December/January 2010 volume of The Technology Teacher.

Silk, E. M., Higashi, R., Shoop, R., & Schunn, C. D. (2010). Designing Technology Activities that Teach Mathematics. The Technology Teacher, 60(4), 21-27.

It’s now easier than ever to attend Robotics Academy Teacher Training classes: our Online NXT Professional Development sessions are web-based. This video provides a quick overview.

Currently, we offer courses that focus on learning how to program robots that use the NXT Intelligent Brick controller. The NXT Professional Development courses are STEM-focused, and include methodologies for pedagogy. The ROBOTC for TETRIX online course teaches ROBOTC programming, and offers insights and tips into mentoring an FTC team. We plan on expanding our course offerings, so stay tuned…!

For current class listings, click here.